If you are a director of a UK company and you live outside the UK, you now have to verify your identity with Companies House. Most people think their deadline is 18 November 2026. For most companies, it is not, and the real date often comes sooner. This guide explains the rule in plain words, shows you how to find your own date in under a minute, and compares the three free routes with the paid one, so you can choose the right one for you.
What is Companies House identity verification?
Under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, Companies House now checks the identity of every director and every person with significant control (PSC) of a UK company.
You verify once. You then get an 11-character personal code. You use that code for Companies House filings from then on.
The code belongs to you, not to the company. If you are a director of three companies, one code covers all three.
It does not matter where you live or which passport you hold. A director in Casablanca, Hanoi or Amman follows the same rule as a director in Manchester. You can read the full rule on GOV.UK: Verify your identity for Companies House.
Is 18 November 2026 my deadline?
Usually not. This is the most common mistake we see.
The transition period runs from 18 November 2025 to 17 November 2026. It gives existing directors and PSCs time to verify. But the transition period closes on 17 November 2026, and Companies House does not publish that date as a personal deadline for anyone.
Your real date depends on who you are:
| Who you are | When you must verify | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Director | Before your company’s next confirmation statement is filed. Companies House will not accept it until every director named on it has verified | GOV.UK: when you need to verify |
| PSC who is not a director | Within the first 14 days of your birth month | Same GOV.UK page |
| PSC who is also a director | The confirmation statement rule applies | Same GOV.UK page |
For most companies, the next confirmation statement comes before November. So the date that matters is probably earlier than the one you have heard about.
How do I find my company’s date?
It takes under a minute.
- Search for your company on the free Companies House register, Find and update company information.
- Open the company page. Under “Confirmation statement”, you will see the next statement date and the date it is due by.
- Check the list of officers. Every director on it needs to have verified before that statement is filed.
You can also type your company name into our deadline checker. It reads the same public register and shows your confirmation statement date and which directors still need to verify, in about 30 seconds.
One unverified director holds up the whole company. If you have a co-director abroad, check their status too.
What are the three free routes?
Verifying direct with Companies House is free. There are three ways to do it, and each one needs something that many directors abroad do not have.
| Free route | What it needs | The catch for a director abroad |
|---|---|---|
| GOV.UK One Login app | A passport with a chip, and a phone that can read it (NFC), on iPhone 8 or newer, or Android 10 or later | Many valid passports have no chip. Many phones have no NFC reader, and GOV.UK’s requirements page does not mention NFC |
| Post Office | A UK home address, and going to a branch in person | Most directors abroad have neither |
| Online questions | A UK bank account and a National Insurance number, or a UK credit history | Not possible without a UK footprint |
The phone requirements are on GOV.UK: Proving your identity with the GOV.UK One Login app. The Post Office conditions are in the Registrar’s identity verification rules (rule 19).
There is also a fourth free route run by Companies House staff. It is by invitation only, after a failed attempt. Nobody can ask for it.
Can I use the free app from abroad?
Often, yes. If your passport has a chip and your phone has NFC, the free app is usually the best place to start. You may not need us at all.
Here is how to check both:
- Look at the front cover of your passport. A chipped passport has a small symbol on the cover: a rectangle with a circle inside it.
- Open your phone’s Settings and search for “NFC”. If a switch appears, your phone can read chips.
For many directors abroad, one of the two is missing. In its own equality impact assessment, Companies House counted 117,639 people already on the register, nationals of 112 countries and living overseas, who fall outside what the free service can cover. The government has never named those countries, so there is no “supported country” list to check. What matters is your passport and your phone.
Our free-route checker asks three questions (chip, phone, UK presence) and tells you whether the free route is likely to work for you.
When is an Authorised Corporate Service Provider the answer?
If none of the free routes work for you, you can verify through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP). An ACSP is a firm registered with Companies House to check identities and file the result. A minister confirmed this in Parliament on 7 September 2026: “Those unable to complete verification using a One Login route can instead use an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP).” (Hansard written answer UIN 23522.)
An ACSP is usually the answer when:
- your passport has no chip,
- your phone has no NFC, and you cannot borrow one that does,
- the app’s face match keeps failing,
- you have no UK address and no UK bank account or credit history,
- your confirmation statement is due soon and you cannot wait.
Companies House lists registered ACSPs but says it does not endorse or recommend any individual provider. You can read more on GOV.UK: Being an Authorised Corporate Service Provider.
How much does it cost, and how long does it take?
The free routes cost nothing. An ACSP is a private firm and charges for its service, so prices vary.
With an ACSP, you usually do about ten minutes of work online: a photo of your ID, a selfie, and one proof of address. A person then reviews your case and the ACSP files the result. Companies House emails your personal code, usually within 24 to 48 hours of the filing.
With Launchese, Standard is £50 and verifies you within three working days. Express is £99 and verifies you the same day, for a deadline this week. Both are one-off prices, with no VAT added and the same price wherever you live.
What happens if I miss my date?
Nothing happens automatically on the day. But the clock does not stop either.
If your confirmation statement cannot be filed because a director has not verified, Companies House sends a warning notice. Act within 28 days of that notice and no penalty is charged. If you leave it, the published penalty for a missed confirmation statement is £500 to £1,500, and a company that keeps missing its filings can in the end be struck off the register. Companies House explains its approach here: Companies House approach to financial penalties.
By 30 June 2026, about 55 per cent of director appointments and 42 per cent of PSC appointments had been verified. Half the register still has not verified, so you are not alone. But it is worth doing now.
Your five-minute checklist
- Find your confirmation statement date on the Companies House register, or with our deadline checker.
- Check every director on the company has verified. If you are a PSC but not a director, note your birth month.
- Look at your passport cover for the chip symbol, and search your phone’s Settings for “NFC”.
- If you have both, try the free GOV.UK One Login app first.
- If you do not, or the app keeps failing, use an Authorised Corporate Service Provider well before your date.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to verify if I live outside the UK?
Yes. The rule applies to every director and PSC of a UK company, wherever they live.
Is my country supported?
There is no government list of supported or unsupported countries. The free app needs a chipped passport from any country and a phone that can read it. An ACSP can verify you with any passport or national identity card.
Do I need a separate code for each company?
No. Your personal code belongs to you and covers every company where you are a director or PSC.
Can someone verify on my behalf?
No one can verify your identity for you, because the check is of you. But a co-director or accountant can arrange it. With Launchese, they can order for you at checkout and you get your own secure link.
Can I verify early?
Yes. You can verify now and use your personal code when your company’s next confirmation statement is filed.
Where Launchese fits in
Launchese is registered with Companies House as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), number AP020671, and is supervised by HM Revenue and Customs for anti-money-laundering purposes. Launchese has 10,000+ customers, from more than 100 countries, and looks after 9,000+ companies.
We verify directors and PSCs of any nationality, living anywhere, with any passport or national identity card, chip or no chip, and no UK address needed. A person on our compliance team reviews every case, and we file the result with Companies House. Both plans are subject to passing identity and anti-money-laundering checks. If we cannot verify you, you are not charged.
You may not need us at all. If you have a chipped passport and an NFC phone, start with the free app. If you do not, we are here.
Prefer to talk it through? Book your free 15-min advisory call today.
Related reading
Sources
- GOV.UK: Verify your identity for Companies House
- GOV.UK: When you need to verify your identity for Companies House
- Companies House equality impact assessment for identity verification
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. For anything beyond the rules explained here, check with a qualified professional.
